Anaheim Angels 2002 Season Preview

by Bob "Twilight" Brigham

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

The memory of my mother saying that to me before I ever could have known what it meant is as firm in my mind as her voice was in my ears 70 years ago. When I reached Little League age (if there had been Little League in the 1930s) she explained to me that horse traders sometimes sold an animal for more than he was worth by lying about his age. Mama said that a potential buyer who knew horses could tell the true age of the beast by looking at the condition of his teeth.

"But if somebody wants to give you something," she added, "take it. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

I had to be Pony League age (no Pony League either back then) before I quit wondering why my mother was talking about somebody giving me a horse.

So, what does all this have to do with the prospects for the Anaheim Angels in 2002? In the trades, purchases and sales of baseball nobody is going to give the Angels any gift horses. The best horse traders of a century ago were rank amateurs compared with the front office sharpies of today's baseball. But it still might be a good idea for Angel GM to ask some of the newcomers to the Angel camp to open wide, especially the Caribbean imports.

Explain, Twilight.

OK. Age is important when evaluating a baseball player. The Angels brought in Ramon Ortiz this year to bolster their pitching staff. They figured at 26 he was approaching his prime. Trouble is, he is 29. In the aftermath of Sept. 11 a lot of Latin players have aged rather suddenly. A more nosey INS is taking a closer look at birth certificates.

Of course, everything is relative. Anaheim has not been stung any worse than other clubs. It has generally become a "buyer beware" market, and management had better ID their prospects well before they have them ink a contract. When we talk about "A Team for the Ages," we may be referring not to the '27 Yankees but rather to a roster littered with a bunch of Joses and Miguels who shaved a little off their age when that nice man with all that money told them they couldn't miss as a Big League ball player in the U.S.

The Dominican Republic is especially notorious for sending "19"-year-olds whose fathers could have fought beside Toussaint L'Oveurture.

So, what do long-suffering Orange County fans have to look forward to this season? In the judgement of this writer, catcher Bengie Molina holds one of the keys to the club's fortunes. Manager Mike Scioscia, a catcher in his playing days with the Dodgers, worked with Molina last year and improved his defensive skills considerably. Besides "the tools of ignorance" he also brings a pretty good bat to the ball park. Another Yogi Berra, Roy Campanella or Johnny Bench? Well, let's not get carried away. But we may be looking at the best catcher in the AL before the season is over.

Another encouraging spot in the Angel line-up is at third base, where Troy Glaus brings some defensive liabilities, but the man has hit 89 HRs in the last two seasons. Not Bondsian, but not bad. Can he play, say, 150 games? He has a tendency to crowd the plate, which causes pitchers to have a tendency to drive him off said plate with chin music. For some reason Troy wants to be the hitter and not the hittee, so he, in turn, has a tendency to charge mounds around the AL. What with potential body bruises from being hit by pitches and guys with different colored uniforms during brawls, he may have to sit a few dances out. Then there are those picky-picky suspensions for fighting. Tendencies, tendencies.

Maybe the biggest question marks should go after the names Tim Salmon and Darin Urstad. These two had career years in 2000. Jostens was preparing to take ring sizes a year ago so that the championship jewelry would be ready at the end of the season. But a not-so-funny thing happened on the way to the World Series. Tim and Darin, following their best, had their worst seasons in the bigs. If they can come back to the form of two seasons ago, the ghost of Gene Autry may be smiling come October. Their ability to get to fly balls in the outfield, make the catch and throw with authority to the proper base has never been questioned. Can they stay healthy? And can they HIT? These are questions that need to be answered in the affirmative.

David Eckstein will play shortstop until rookie Alfedo Amezaga learns to hit major league pitching. Then he may move back to his old second base position where his lack of range won't be such a problem. Who loses in this game of musical chairs? Journeyman second sacker Adam Kennedy, that's who.

Scioscia had better get some runs out of this bunch, because he is going to need them. Besides the venerable Ortiz the Angels have lefty Scott Schoeneweis, Kevin Appier, Jarrod Washburn and John Lackey to battle for the four starting spots. Mediocre at best, you say? Listen, if these guys can keep the Angels in ball games until the eighth inning Troy Percival will keep the Angels in the race until September.

If, if , if. If wishes were horses, beggers would ride. Aw, come on, Ma, not horses again! Yep. Better Angel teams than this have failed to win an AL flag. Lots of 'em. Honestly, I don't think they will place, either. Maybe they will show, behind Oakland and Texas and ahead of Seattle.

Ten Years Ago...

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES: GM Whitey Herzog and manager Buck Rogers envisioned a beefed-up lineup containing free agents Bonilla, Tartabull and Joyner, but instead came away having to depend on ex-Phillie (Mr. 5-for-1 trade) Von Hayes, ex-Met Hubie Brooks, and the unproven and sore-wristed Lee Stevens.

Fading veterans Lance Parrish and Gary Gaetti are back after the Halos could find no takers in the off-season. Dave Winfield left as a free agent and will be missed. The Angels may not finish 13th in runs, homers and OBP again in '92, but won't rise much higher, either. Because they have (miraculously) held on to their 3 excellent left-handers, they figure to have one of the best staffs in the AL. Jim Abbott (18-11, Abbott, Chuck Finley and Mark Langston are the main reason the stafffinished 2nd in ERA in the AL (3.69). However, they lost much in McCaskill going to the ChiSox, and will instead try to fashion their 4 and 5 starters out of Don Robinson, Joe Grahe and Scott Lewis. This will take a tremendous sleight-of-hand, but pitching-staff magician Rogers has as good a shot at it as anybody. The relief staff, led by Bryan Harvey,was strengthened by picking up ex-Brewer Chuck Crim as a set-up man, along with the return of Mark Eichorn and S. Bailes.

Although they finished 3rd in fielding, they don't figure to do it again. Parrish is fading fast (19 PB); Gaetti is solid, yet aging; Felix is not a great CF; Hayes is good in right and could back up Stevens at first; Joyner will be greatly missed; Schofield is solid at SS.

OUTLOOK: maybe not last place, as in '91, but they will not finish much higher---probably mid-pack. Even if they get 60 wins from the 3 star starters and 50 saves from Harvey the will struggle to reach 85 wins this year, which will leave them 5 to 10 games short. And Autry grows another year older.